Kashmir crisis: Vacuum grows wider in the Valley

Why Yashwant Sinha says he's crestfallen at official policy and the absence of a meeting of minds

Sometime last month, Yashwant Sinha, previously finance and foreign minister in Bharatiya Janata Party-led governments (so, not exactly an unknown entity to the present ruling dispensation), sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss Jammu and Kashmir. He waited by the phone but no call came. Instead, he was directed to the national security advisor (NSA), A K Doval. He spent almost 90 minutes with Doval, explaining and amplifying the problems in J&K. His message: Whatever the villainy of separatists and Pakistan, we must engage with the people of Kashmir. Must talk to the people.

The NSA’s response: